Alabama had a lot of new faces last football season who were unfamiliar with the Crimson Tide’s rivalry game against Tennessee.
Now they know.
“I’ve never played in a stadium like that,” Alabama senior receiver Germie Bernard — who experienced facing the Volunteers for the first time a year ago after transferring from Washington — said this week in a news conference. “The environment was literally insane.”
Tennessee spoiled coach Kalen DeBoer’s debut in the “Third Saturday in October” with a 24-17 triumph in Knoxville. It was the second series victory for the Vols in three seasons, with their memorable 52-49 outlasting of the Crimson Tide in 2022 inside Neyland Stadium halting Alabama’s 15-game ownership of Tennessee that had been assembled under Nick Saban.
Vols fans stormed the field after each of the last two outcomes in Knoxville, but Alabama has won 10 straight over Tennessee inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, which will house Saturday’s showdown (7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC) between the No. 6 Tide and the No. 11 Vols. Both teams are 5-1 overall, with Alabama 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play and Tennessee 2-1.